LIFE Happens

8/7/2017

It’s time for 2017 reflections.

I feel this year has been a year of maturity and spiritual growth but never the less I am still under construction. As I mature, I learn new things everyday whether through separation from friends, meeting new people and letting go of my regrets and past. I am truly grateful to the life I have now. I get better at learning how to cope and react to adversities in my life with family and friends. I feel that every circumstance in my life draws me closer to being the person I am meant to be. I’d say the theme of this year was learning more about personalities and discernment. I also learned to be alert from those who have caused me pain including cheating, lying, attempts in bring me down, gossiping, comparison of self to fakeness, and try to hold you back. This just opens me more to recognize that people appear to be longing for love including myself at one point in time. I realize that many people need validation like positive descriptive feedback for their efforts and successes or even just the little things people take for granted in order to be recognized.   It’s important to watch out for those who use others and try to put others against one another, so they can feel better about themselves and may feel more superior. We are all equal in my eyes, and no matter if your old, young, different culture, athlete or couch potato we share the same love, heart and compassion to treat each other the same. We must never forget that Golden Rule, treat others as you would like to be treated.
I want to share my story to women out there who have suffered a break up in a relationship, and relating to the feeling of loss and deception. But first I want to reassure women that are going through what I went through that you are a strong and fierce woman and never let anyone treat you any less as if you are not valued. 2017 was a huge eye opener for me where hardship and heartbreak turned into blessing. I was lost in sorrow, I couldn’t sleep, my work outs were not going well, I called out to Jesus and begged God to help me through whatever I was going through during my time of suffering. Training can take a toll on you when your heart is broken and life as you know it has been altered. Other times of heart ache remember back last year when I came in last place at a race. I remember crying that whole night and feeling so lost and defeated.
It was not easy, but I kept going on just focusing on the road ahead. I remember going to a sermon and pastured talked about endurance and finishing the race. This motivated me so much, I felt as if he was talking to me, I kept up with my studies, with my training, and found myself in the process. During this time, I felt hits from all sides around me were even people tried to bring me down when I was at my lowest but because of them I persevered and it made me so much stronger. I also had good people who came in my life who supported me and believed in me. God brings people into your life to teach us lessons, make us stronger and guides us to the path he created us to be. The right people are now in my life and I knew who they were, because of their energy of love that overflows.
I had a great support system leading to CIM marathon. My twin sister and I always push each other ; I thank God for her every day. (Twin blog will be up soon)   The petitions of my heart have been answered by meeting a young man, a man who is after my own heart. It means a lot to me to find someone has the same values as I do, and a desire to run and train with the way I do. This guy who I call my now my boyfriend helped me a lot leading me to CIM marathon from pacing me, to rocking my world. My victory this whole year was living my fairy tale dream of making it to the 2020 Olympic trials, and now finding my best friend and companion.
The outcome: I found meaning to my life in 2017 and I am grateful for the all circumstances and trials I endured, and I count them as blessing because, I survived and kept my eyes on Jesus.   I’ve faced through it all. The ability to persevere myself by keeping fit and keeping it cool emotionally, sacrifices, dedication, residence and commitment. With it all I experienced all the feeling of joy, love, forgiveness, to forgive others, self worth, pain, excitement, physical and mental barriers. I learned that I have the ability to read others and trust in my senses. It is very difficult to explain. I enjoy meaningful talks and I am good at helping people to improve their behavior, emotional state and distress in their lives. I am described by my family and friends as someone who is a motivator, who cares, who has integrity and honest.   I like to point out the gifts a person may have and often times they do not see in themselves. When I talk to people I listen to their stories and their concerns. I validate their feeling and I experience their joy or stress with them. I love building depth into everything I do and the connections I make give joy into my heart. I also tend to take leadership positions because I speak my mind and I am seen by others to have genuine confidence in what I have to say. When someone comes for me for help, it’s a compliment.
I am usually fair, open, and unbiased. I don’t understand people who are insensitive to others needs, or thoughts or feelings. It bugs me when people don’t take the time to understand each other and empower each other. I listen and provide feedback to others situations in their life experience that they haven’t thought about. That energizes me. But I always say, it’s not me talking, when I talk to you, I’m talking to myself.
But overall, 2017 has helped me stair step to my overarching life
goals and I truly feel at peace with myself. More to work on this upcoming year. Always want to improve and be better than I was yesterday.
Shoot for the moon friends I’ll be rooting for you

img_3256.mp4
File Size:	5444 kb
File Type:	mp4

Download File

PUSH ME ABOVE= (download): Fun little video of pictures and small clips of Oregon!!

The Uncut truth on how much I needed this mini vacation. This mini vacation with my twin sister, my good friend Valerie and Juan has made my friendship so much stronger with them. We decided on this trip because Juan and I won free airline tickets, hotel stay and LA Galaxy tickets from winning first place on a race.
Now about the vacation: Coming back to Oregon after six years it is truly as beautiful as when I left. Driving to Corvallis I reminisced about the times when I attended Oregon State University where I also ran cross country/track here and remembering all the people I met. My twin sister and I rode around campus on a bike where we shared our thoughts, joys and challenges. We biked for 3.5 hours to all the trails we use to run at, around campus, class buildings, and rested for food. Oh how much I missed the food here. CAFÉ YUMM my favorite place and it still tastes as good as what I remembered!!! HAHAH I ate at CAFÉ YUMM every day when I was at Oregon.
My favorite part of Oregon was running in the beautiful trails, running at the Michael Johnson track, to attending my first LA Galaxy game, to wondering around Oregon city. Oregon has made me appreciate running more and it gave me closure to an end of a cycle. My goal of this upcoming season is to focus on half marathons and marathons in the hopes of making it in the 2020 Olympic trials. Strength is speed!!!
It was surreal running old trails, that felt like I was just running in them yesterday. The smell, the scents, the trees of knowing my presents!! Corvallis..Portland..Oregon a place of home that will always be treasured in my heart <3 .
To be continued….